September 2019 1 Safe Driving Tips for Labor Day Weekend
2 What is Labor Day - Keys to SMITH Driving
3 On the Job Fitness
4 Line of Fire – Hands and Head
5 What is a Drop Zone?
6 Pole Climbing - Gaffs
7 It Won’t Happen to Me
8 Alphabet of Safety
9 Ready for a Hurricane?
10 Energy Drinks and Heat
11 Line of Fire - Mitigation
12 Continuity Checks
13 Take Time to Inspect - PPE
14 Fork Lift Safety
15 Musculoskeletal Disorders
16 Working Aloft
17 Complacency
18 PPE Requirement for 480 Volt SC Meter
19 Striking Fixed Objects
20 Act “SLIM”
21 Keep Emergency Exits Clear
22 Taking Safety Home
23 De-energized Work
24 Circle for Safety
25 Situational Awareness Obstacles
26 Fuse Barrel
27 JHA/Tailboard
28 Improved Observations
29 Wearing Proper PPE
30 Under the Load?
National Preparedness Month
September 1, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message
Safe Driving Tips for Labor Day Weekend This Labor Day weekend, millions of drivers will take to the highway for one final getaway, making it one of the busiest holiday travel weekends of the year. The National Safety Council (NSC) reminds everyone to buckle up to reduce the risk of crash injuries by 45 percent this weekend. Here are a few tips offered by NSC:
• Prepare your vehicle for the long-distance travel by completing basic checks of fluids, tires, and cooling systems
• Plan ahead and know your route or if needed, alternate routes • Program your GPS prior to putting your vehicle in gear, don’t be a distracted driver • Leave early and allow for delays • Avoid risky driving by making sure you are well rested • Always complete your Circle of Safety
Mitigate or eliminate all driving hazards when hitting the road for a long Labor Day weekend.
September 2, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message What is Labor Day?
The first Labor Day was celebrated in 1882. Its origin stems from the desire of the Central Labor Union to create a holiday for workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894. It was originally intended that the day would be filled with a street parade to allow the public to appreciate the work of the trade and labor organizations.
Because Labor Day weekend typically sees an increase in traffic, you can bet many drivers will be driving distracted.
Remember your SMITH driving keys and:
Aim High in Steering – look at least 15 seconds into your future
Get the Big Picture – Look for hazards, distracted or impaired drivers, pedestrians
Keep Your Eyes Moving – Don’t stare, use your peripheral vision
Leave Yourself an Out – Surround yourself with space
Make Sure They See You – Seek eye contact from other drivers
Happy Labor Day everyone!
September 3, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message On the Job Fitness A utility worker is an industrial athlete. The physical requirements of performing underground and overhead utility work are strenuous. Strains and sprains resulting from improper worker positioning begin to emerge as workers age. Shoulders, elbows, back, and knees are common injuries. Our company encourages stretching and warm ups before beginning work and prior to starting a task. Warming up muscle groups reduces the frequency of soft tissue injuries. Have you stretched today?
September 4, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Line of Fire
Ever held a cup while pouring hot coffee into it or held a nail for someone wielding a hammer? In both instances, you’re putting yourself in the line of fire. If something goes wrong, injury could result.
We have numerous tasks and activities that place our hands, extremities, and our bodies in a potential line of fire. Use hazard awareness to recognize the extent of the risk, the hazard or the consequence prior to performing a task.
Remove yourself from the line of fire by avoiding:
• Caught-in or between • Struck-by • Released energy
September 5, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message What is a Drop Zone? A drop zone is an exclusion zone below any elevated work where it is deemed safer to drop materials to the ground rather than by means of a hand-line, canvas bucket, material handler, or other suitable means based on the hazard assessment. The area of the drop zone will depend on the type of work and size/weight of equipment or material used in elevated work area. Special consideration should be given to the types of material (glass, porcelain, metal, wood, etc.) and ground condition (concrete, hard ground, mud, water, etc.) when determining whether to use a drop zone to descent material. An object as small as a bolt can cause serious injury or even death when dropped from a higher level and striking an employee on the ground.
September 6, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Pole Climbing - Gaffs When climbing poles, care should be exercised to set the gaffs securely in the pole and to avoid weather cracks, knots, holes, nails, grounds, or other pole attachments. As a reminder:
• Climbers should be kept sharp and shall be visually inspected with each use • Gaffs shorter than 1 ¼ inches measured on the underside of the gaff shall not be
used • Gaffs shall be protected when climbers are not in use
September 7, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message “It Won’t Happen to Me” There are many excuses someone will give for not working safely. Some common excuses include: I didn’t know, I didn’t have time, I lost my PPE, nothing will happen, etc. One of the worst excuses to have for not working safe is a “it won’t happen to me” mindset. This excuse communicates a mindset that is set on not completing a task safely or shows a person is relying on luck to keep safe while on the job. Don’t get caught up in the excuses and rely on luck for safety. Luck runs out but safety is good for life. Do the right thing today and every day to remain Safety Strong.
September 8, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message The Alphabet of Safety
You don’t need to know the whole alphabet of safety. The A, B, C’s of it will save you if you follow it: Always Be Careful
September 9, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message Are You Ready for a Hurricane? Our job at Entergy is to restore power after a storm, but we must do it safely. Safety must be our core value. Here are a few of the safe work rules that will ensure a successful restoration.
• Follow all Switching, Tagging and Clearance rules. • Follow all Testing and Grounding rules. • Utilize all Personal Protective Equipment when required. • Utilize all Insulated Protective Equipment when required. • Utilize Fall Protection Equipment when working aloft. • Use the Buddy System when scouting. • Wear your Personal Voltage Detector when required. • Avoid flood waters. • Use caution when driving in water. If you don’t know, don’t go. • Monitor wind speeds when working from an aerial lift device (bucket truck). • Practice good personal hygiene. Wash your hands before dining. • Be aware of critter displacement. Snakes, spiders, fire ants, alligators and any
number of other critters may be in places you least expect.
What are some more rules that must be followed to ensure a successful restoration?
September 10, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Energy Drinks and Heat Energy drinks pose several health risks, especially during the heat of summer. People who choose energy drinks will often use them in place of water or electrolyte-rich drinks. Because energy drinks contain high amounts of caffeine, a diuretic, people risk dehydrating more quickly in the heat. To further complicate this problem, energy drinks cause the heart to pump faster. As the heart pumps faster, it raises blood pressure, increasing a person’s risk for heat stress. Drinking water or electrolyte-rich drinks are the safest ways to hydrated during our hot months.
September 11, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message Line of Fire How to mitigate Line of Fire situations:
• Use your Job Site Review • Know where your hands and body are always - situational awareness • Eliminate the hazard when possible • Use effective work practices for minimizing hazards
Remember to remove yourself from harm’s way also known as the line of fire.
September 12, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Remember to do your continuity checks before installing a meter. No one is perfect and electricians will sometimes make a mistake. If we perform our continuity check before installing a meter, we can catch mistakes before they turn into mishaps.
“Your safety gears are between your ears.” – Author Unknown
September 13, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message Take time to inspect! Take the time to inspect your PPE daily. As your last line of defense, it is your most important task of the day. Promptly remove any worn or damaged items from service and have them immediately replaced. Take no shortcuts and remain Safety Strong!
September 14, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Fork Lift Safety Always remember the following to assure fork lift safety:
• Do the daily fork lift inspection before use • Wear seat belt and all required PPE • Pre check route to be sure all is clear of obstacles and obstructions • Never overload, follow the capacity rating of the forklift • Operate at a safe speed
Remain Safety Strong when operating all equipment.
September 15, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Stretching – It Feels So Good! With work-related musculoskeletal disorders accounting for more than 30 percent of all nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases each year, we are recommending stretching as part of our ergonomics program to help prevent injuries. Stretching allows your body time to recover, relax and prepare for work. Frequent stretching will also help prevent muscles from getting stiff and reduce discomfort. Just like your favorite athletes warm up their muscles to prevent injuries before hitting the field, so should you!
September 16, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message Working Aloft
All materials, equipment, and tools to be used aloft should be raised and lowered by means of hand-line, canvas bucket, material handler, or other suitable means. Care shall be taken by employees working overhead to prevent tools or material from falling.
Remember other means of raising or lowering supplies may be used, such as:
• Lowering the bucket to a level where employees minimize reaching • Establishing a drop zone under the worker aloft using a radius of ten feet
around the work area unless defined differently by crew during JHA • Workers aloft shall warn ground workers before dropping any items • Personnel working alone may drop materials to the ground after determining
the drop area below is clear and the dropped materials will not present a hazard to the public
Working aloft and the line of fire go hand in hand. Always remain aware!
September 17, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message No Place for Complacency! It’s so easy to get complacent when we do the same or similar jobs day in and day out. We put the stiff legs down on trucks every time we go in the bucket, very routine job, but are we watching to make sure that the stiff leg is not going down on a co-worker’s foot or will damage a customer’s vehicle or smash a child’s hand going to get their ball. Ask yourself what corners are you cutting and why are you cutting those corners? Fight the urge to take the easy way out when it comes to safety. Hold yourself and others around you accountable for working safely today and every day.
September 18, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message PPE Requirement for 480 Volt Self-Contained Meter What PPE is required to install or remove a meter in a 480-volt self-contained meter can?
1. An eight-calorie face shield. 2. Safety glasses. 3. FR balaclava. 4. Hard hat. 5. FR clothing rating of 20 calories. 6. Rubber gloves
20 calorie rating can be achieved by layering two hazard class two (HC2) garments. Don’t forget it’s not de energized until it is tested and grounded.
September 19, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Striking Fixed Objects
Striking fixed objects is 100% avoidable if the proper steps are taken for prevention. It is very important to take the time and energy to properly eliminate or mitigate the chance that the fixed objects are struck. Our best prevention is elimination of the exposure to the hazard. Elimination can be achieved by not being near the object. Sometimes the fixed objects are often customer owned and can’t be moved or eliminated. Here are some best practices that can be used to reduce the chance of striking fixed objects:
• Avoid backing… objects are often hit when individuals are backing • Never park close to a fixed object • Always perform a circle of safety walk prior to operation • Use a spotter anytime you are working near fixed objects • Pay more attention while operating or driving even at low speeds • Make the fixed object more visible by placing a cone by it
What other suggestions can you come up with to avoid hitting fixed objects?
September 20, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message Act “SLIM” SLIM is an acronym that stands for stop, look, identify, and manage. These four categories, if covered before the job starts and discussed during the JHA portion of the job, will go a long way toward keeping you and your co-workers safe. The following is a brief breakdown of each of the four categories:
• STOP: Engage your mind before your hands. Visualize the task and be sure you understand what needs to be done before you start working.
• LOOK: Carefully observe your work location to find any hazards. • IDENTIFY: Point out the effects that the hazards could potentially have on you and
your co-workers. Ask yourself if you can complete your task safely. • MANAGE: What are the options to mitigate any hazards prior to the start of work,
and can the crew continue the job as planned? If all four of these are discussed and there is consensus among the group, only then is it time to go to work.
September 21, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Keep Emergency Exits Clear Never place anything in front of an emergency exit door, even if only for a few minutes. While this might sound like a no brainer, it’s surprising how many ladders, trolley carts, and forklifts get set in front of emergency exits. Also make sure that pathways to equipment emergency shutoffs are clear in case something needs to be powered down immediately.
September 22, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Taking Safety Home Many, many hours every year are spent discussing safety in our workplace. The safety information you learn on the job should be taken home and passed on to your family in order to keep them safe. Help your family recognize hazards which will help protect them from harm. Below is a small basic checklist to gauge whether you are addressing some of the larger safety issues in your home:
• Are there working smoke alarms in the house and are they in the proper locations? • Are chemicals and other harmful substances locked up to protect small children and
pets? • Do you and other family members wear proper PPE when doing yard work such as
weed eating or while using a chainsaw? • If you have a pool does it have a proper fence and locking gate?
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, call a STOP work at home and make the necessary changes in order to remain Safety Strong at home.
September 23, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message De-energized But Not Grounded When work is performed on conductors or equipment (600 volts or above) that has been de-energized but not grounded, remember the work shall be done using all energized work rules. Otherwise, all phases, neutral, and shield wires of the circuits shall be properly voltage tested, grounded and bonded together. Do you have a safety question? Be sure to refer to the current Transmission and Utility Operations Safe Work Rules Manual or contact your local safety specialist.
September 24, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Circle of Safety
Performing your circle for safety is not only checking the surroundings but checking the load to ensure that all materials, trash and equipment are secured as well. As the driver it is your responsibility to eliminate or mitigate the hazards associated with your vehicle. Do a successful Circle for Safety, it could save a life.
September 25, 2019
Field Daily Safety Message Situational Awareness Obstacles Even though we may sense a hazard that could be alerting us of danger, there is a tendency to underestimate the possibility of a looming risk. Some of the risks include thinking like:
• We’ve always done it that way • It’s faster to do it this way (Understand that we have a normalcy bias towards the
status quo.) • Nothing has ever happened when I do this, so nothing is likely to happen.
Look at every hazard as a potential accident. This will allow you to stop ignoring or discounting hazards and begin making assessments of the actual risk
September 26, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Fuse Barrel We recently have had some close calls where a fuse barrel has fallen out of the switch or off the end of a stick. In years past, there have been serious employee injuries resulting from being struck by fuse barrels. Many employees have completed this task so many times that this has become routine and the hazards are no longer recognized. We have become complacent. To mitigate the possibility of the fuse barrel from falling, a positive control stick attachment shall be used when raising or lower fuse barrels from the ground. If a positive control device is not available for the type switch, the employee shall wear a face shield in addition to other required PPE. Complacency and line of fire … don’t get struck by either!
September 27, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Working Safely We have many tasks to perform daily while applying our Safe Work rules. Before each job, during the JHA/Tailboard, ask yourself " What is the safest options for my safety success?" Remember, working safely is NOT an option.
September 28, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Improving Your Observations Take the time to do a thorough observations of object, tools, equipment, and the work environment for a work task. Make a conscious effort to dedicate time to evaluate the work area around by doing the following:
• Walk around your work area and view it from different perspectives. • Focus on details that you normally skim over. • Use past experiences, lessons learned, safety shares, or training to identify potential
hazards. • Really get picky about the details of your work environment. The little details are
what lead to many of our injuries and incidents. Being observant is a skill that comes with practice.
September 29, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Am I wearing the proper FR clothing and am I wearing it correctly to perform by job safely? Remember employees shall wear an outer layer of flame-resistant apparel (FR pants and long sleeve FR shirts) rated for the available arc energy of the equipment/line being worked when working on ungrounded transmission or distribution circuits or equipment, and when performing switching and other activities that may expose the employee to electric arc, flames, or flash fires. Also, to reduce flash burn injuries when employees are exposed to a potential electric arc and/or flash fire:
a. FR shirts shall be tucked in and fully buttoned excluding the top button unless an underlayer of FR is tucked in and rated for the available arc energy.
b. The entire arm shall be covered with FR clothing and/or rubber PPE. Dress for success to remain Safety Strong.
September 30, 2019 Field Daily Safety Message Under the Load All ground personnel shall remain out from under the load and out of the drop zone if established and when in use. When attaching material or tools to a hand-line, the ground person should be far enough away from the load in order to be clear of any objects that might accidentally be dropped from overhead. Stay out of the line of fire and remain Safety Strong!